Connecticut Residents' Income Growing

The total amount of money people who live in Connecticut receive from work, investments and government payments grew by 0.9 percent in the second quarter of this year, just below the national average of 1 percent. The information was released by the federal government Monday.

Salaries and bonuses grew by 0.8 percent, faster than the national rate of 0.6 percent, and dividends, interest and income from investment properties grew by 3 percent, the same as the national increase.

The amount paid by unemployment and Social Security to Connecticut residents fell sharply earlier this year, a 2 percent drop. Nationwide, those government transfer payments increased by 0.1 percent.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis, which compiles the data, said the industries whose growth accounted for the largest part of the overall earnings growth were construction and finance and insurance. That was true both nationwide and in the state. Finance and insurance's contribution to the income growth was twice as high in Connecticut as it was nationwide.

Connecticut's income growth was slower than that of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey, but was in line with Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, California and Oklahoma.